Cameron Rahles-Rahbula named Australian Paralympic flagbearer

By
Stathi Paxinos

Cameron Rahles-Rahbula will carry the flag for the Australian Paralympic team at Friday's opening ceremony for the Sochi Games.

Cameron Rahles-Rahbula was not even suppose to be in Sochi competing at his fourth Winter Paralympic Games.

He retired after the World Cup event staged in Thredbo last September, convinced that he no longer had the time needed to compete at the highest levels. But the dual Vancouver bronze medallist was persuaded by persistent team officials, who gave him leeway to spend more time at home with his young family.

On Tuesday night (Russian time) the 30-year-old was named the Australia's flagbearer for the opening ceremony on March 7.

"It wasn't something I was expecting. I was just rapt to be here to be honest," Rahles-Rahbula said.

"To be able to say my farewell on the big stage that was really the goal for Sochi, and just doing the best that I can and to have this honour of representing my country and leading them out is fantastic."

Rahles-Rahbula, who competed at Salt Lake City (2002), Torino (2006) and Vancouver (2011), has spent most of the Australian summer at home while his teammates chased the snow, competing at competitions and training throughout Europe.

He joined the Alpine skiers only three weeks ago, competing for the first time since Thredbo last month in Italy. But he was not concerned about being underdone. He will be competing in the downhill, super combined, Super-G, slalom and giant slalom.

"If you asked me four or five months ago it wasn't really on the cards. It wasn't that I didn't want to be here, but it's as with any sporting career there's always a juggle and skiing is a sport where you spend a lot of time overseas and travelling," he said.

"It's a big commitment not only for you but your family and extended family and I reached that point where it had become a little bit challenging for me to dedicate the time I would have liked.

"I've only been on snow for the last three weeks since so I'll be drawing on a lot of experience. I've been skiing for 13 years so I won't have to reinvent the wheel, but it will be a different scenario for me and it's just a case of dong the best I can."

Meanwhile, the Australian team has avoided a blow to their preparations with news that luggage, including $10,000 in ski wax essential for competition, and a competition prosthetic leg for snowboarder Joany Badenhorst, had been found after being lost in transit to Sochi.

Ironically, team officials, eager to avoid the possibility of lost equipment, had booked a charter flight with several other teams from Zurich. Australia's chef de mission Chris Nunn said the loss of the wax in particular could have been a huge blow for the team, but the bags were eventually located and were en route to the Paralympic village.

"It's on the way. It will be here by (Tuesday) night (Russian time). It's a big relief because we had $10,000 worth of wax sitting in an airport somewhere so we were very concerned if that had gone missing. That could have compromised our campaign, but it's turned up, it's on its way to the village, so we're ready to go," Nunn said.

He also said he was not concerned about the condition of the courses despite the lack of snowfall. The Australians will have their first training session on Wednesday.

"Ironically if we get a lot of snow now it would be detrimental to the competition because with the chemicals they an get the hill right for racing," he said.

"If it stays the way it is they've got good coverage and they (officials) are very confident that they'll get though.

"Our guys will just change wax, the skis and ski slightly differently in those conditions so they're well tuned to making adjustments."